Moonlight Castle
by Tricks AND Treats Contest
Summary: Most legends are born when the storyteller needs to captivate their audience, make their story come to life. But for Bella Swan, a real life legend is about to become all too real.


Most legends are born when the storyteller needs to captivate their audience, make their story come to life. But for Bella Swan, a real life legend is about to become all too real.

Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Moonlight Castle**

"Come on, Bella." Alex begged, puppy dog eyes in full force and bottom lip puffed out so far he could trip on it. "It's supposed to be the perfect year to see it."

"That's what you said last year." I retorted, hoping I could once again get out of the adolescent game he wanted to play.

"Yes, and _last_ year you swore we could do it _this_ year."

I sighed in defeat. He was right, I had agreed to go with him and his friends to Castle Cullen. Technically, I had gone last year, only to have a rain storm create a mudslide that removed the trail. As much as I complain about the near constant rain here in Washington, I was thanking the heavens above for it that night.

When I moved to Washington nearly three years ago, I noticed on one rare clear day, a rock on the ridge of the mountain. The sun's rays illuminating what could only be described as the tower of a castle rising from the top of the normally hidden mountain top. When I questioned what I was looking at, I was told of the legend.

Where Salem had the witch trials and Texas had its chain saw massacre, Washington had a haunted castle. Many years ago—no one can agree on how long—a very wealthy man bought all the land along the shore, including the mountain. He wanted to have a secluded place to come and relax.

Legend has it, he wanted to fashion his retreat after the castle he grew up in. Being so fixated on privacy and security, the entrance is only visible during a full moon. Allegedly, there was a painting which hung over one of the enormous fireplaces displaying its creator and the love of his life. Many young people have made the attempt to find the entrance, but there were no stories of anyone who had found it. Other stories told of a curse placed on the castle by a woman who sought out the man's attention, only to be refused and shamed. Rumors spoke of a monstrous figure which loomed in dark corners, feasting on beautiful, young women. Although no missing person reports had been filed in the area for over twenty years.

I lowered my head and agreed. "You're right. I'll do it."

My apprehension wasn't due to the climb to the top of a mountain or traipsing through the woods after dark. It was silly really, most likely my imagination was fueled by the various scary stories which would always surface this time of year. After we deemed the climb was not going to happen last year, Alec, Jessica, Mike and myself, stood at the bottom of the rocks and watched as the clouds rolled away revealing the silhouette of an iron gate. Alec was sure it was the entrance and cursed the fallen rocks and mudslide for nearly twenty minutes.

I couldn't understand why he was so upset over not being able to reach the top. His plan, I later found out, was to locate the entrance, find the painting and sell it. He had spent the past few years researching how valuable it could possibly be. He swore me to secrecy, saying it was for the future he wanted to have with me. A future I wasn't so certain I wanted to have with him.

A few days after the failed visit, I noticed strange things starting to happen. Books Alec would have open and reading would disappear, resurfacing later in odd places; like the top of a cabinet or inside a closet. Single flower stems would be found on the windshield of my car, even when Alec was out of town.

The source of my apprehension, the fact that I was concerned for a faceless man who probably died a hundred years ago was created into this monster to scare poor children. But the stories and the strange goings on didn't keep me from looking in the direction of the castle every morning as I got into my car.

"Bella, you need to be ready to go no later than seven thirty." Alec, the self-proclaimed mastermind of this 'mission' as he coined it, instructed me for the hundredth time today. I was ready to tell him where he could stick his plan, but my need to see this castle overruled my common sense.

"I will be here and on time." Appeasing him was just easier, much like avoiding the much needed break up conversation I had planned out in my head.

Alec was the first guy to make an effort to get to know me when I moved here. Packing up your whole life and hitting the road with no real destination in mind was most likely not the smartest idea I'd ever had. At the time, I could only see getting away from the ghosts which haunted me.

Growing up in a small town in Arizona, I had the textbook life as far as childhood goes. Mom and Dad gave me everything I needed and wanted. I had friends and enjoyed a boyfriend or two. No terrible stories of abuse or neglect, no gilded love when my romantic relationships ended. Everything changed, however, when a fire broke out during a summer concert, killing both of my parents. I was handed a big check and meaningless words of sorrow.

After the estate was settled and everyone had gone back to their own lives, I found I couldn't stand the memories surrounding me. Six days later, I pulled into the parking lot of the town diner in the City of Forks and took my first deep breath since saying goodbye to the only life I'd ever known. What seemed like a minute later, I purchased a small home and went to work in the local travel office, meeting Alec and Jessica.

"Make sure you have good boots," he continued as he packed a flashlight into his backpack. "This year nothing is going to keep me away from that gate."

Alec had not only discovered information about the value of the alleged painting, but possibly the name of the man who'd built the fortress. Edward Cullen, a merchant from Ireland, used several of his ships to discover new trading routes, while avoiding the pirate infested waters of the straits used at the time.

Supposedly, Cullen had built several other castles in various countries along the new route he found. Alec had no real proof the castle on our mountain was that of Edward Cullen. However, there were many similarities between the legends we have here and the facts regarding Cullen's journey.

Except for one minor detail.

In the late 1600's Cullen embarked on a trade deal with an Italian landowner, Carlos De Cigno. Carlos had three daughters; Maria, Sophia, and Isabella. Maria being the oldest was promised to a Duke in South Wales. Sophia, being the middle daughter, demanded to be paired with Cullen. However, he found her to be lacking in too many areas and paid handsomely for Isabella's hand. During their courtship, he commissioned a painter, Sir James Huntington, to create a portrait of himself and his future bride. When it was complete, he sent it back to his home to hang as gift to his new wife when she entered their dwelling after the wedding.

Sophia being a scorned and jealous woman, stowed away on the ship with Cullen as he left to prepare a home for he and Isabella. When she was discovered, Cullen turned the ship around, sailing back to return her to her father.

Sophia was none too pleased and tossed herself into the water, but not before setting the ship on fire killing every man on board. When she returned to her father, she told Isabella of her betrothed's death. Isabella was so distraught, she jumped from a cliff to her death.

While the portrait was indeed hung in the great hall of his castle in Ireland, it mysteriously vanished one month after Cullen died. Another mystery, Sir James Huntington was reported missing by his staff five years before the painting was commissioned, making the story seemingly...impossible.

If, in fact, this was the painting created by a missing man, of a girl who never married the love of her life, it would be priceless. A fact Alec was counting on.

We were due to meet on old Route 101, at a turn off blocked many years ago by the family who owned the property, the Clearwater's. Seth Clearwater, the eldest son and current caretaker, told stories of finding wild animals and deer remains, half buried in the woods surrounding his property. Since he had been arrested a few times on drug distribution charges, no one actually believed his tales of seeing a man flying in the trees.

He was standing just on the line of the trees which separate the road from the rocky terrain of the mountain. I reached for my own backpack from the seat beside me. I noticed Alec walking in my direction, although I didn't see Mike or Jessica or their cars.

"Hey." Alec greeted, his face more serious than it was earlier this afternoon.

"Hey, where is everyone?" I wondered, as I discreetly checked the time on my watch.

"Jessica and Mike are going on some haunted hay ride instead." He shrugged his shoulders, the aggravation clear in his voice. "So it's just you and me." The rumbling of an impending rainstorm could be heard in the distance.

Alec led me to the opposite side of the tree line where the Jeep he purchased last year was waiting. After I was firmly strapped in, he turned the key in the ignition, bringing the ancient beast to life. Alec had driven this particular road many times, enough that he didn't really need headlights to navigate.

His Jeep rode effortlessly along the skinny trails, rolling over rocks and ground cover as if they were nothing. Finally, we reached the large pile of rock and dried earth. Ferns and vines now staked claim to the side effects of the landslide. As we stepped out of the vehicle, I could hear the river roaring to my left. Walking a few feet over, I looked over the cliff to see but it was too dark and the cliff too high to see the river below. A chill ran up my spine at the thought of falling over the edge.

Alec wasted no time and began his climb over the boulders, scaling them with ease, not waiting to see if I'd even gotten out of the car okay.

The moon was full, casting an almost eerie glow around the forest. The sound of an owl off in the distance was followed by the chilling sound of a wolf howling. A gust of wind blew my hair back against my shoulders and caused several tree branches to crack and grown. I should've been scared to death here in the unfamiliar, surrounded by uncertainty.

Cresting the final ridge, Alec knelt on the ground, searching for something in his pack. The moon was bright, casting a clear white light on everything. I glanced off into the distance and saw the lights of town, trick or treaters running with excitement as they scurried from house to house. Carrying plastic pumpkins to collect their savory treats. Maybe this would be the last year I would miss their innocent faces.

"Do you see it?" Alec shouted, his body rigid, facing what looked like the back edge of the castle tower. His left arm was pointing to what appeared to be an iron gate. My memory of the same gate from last year surfaced and the butterflies returned with a vengeance.

"Bella! Hurry up." Alec was already halfway to the iron gate as he called over his shoulder.

I reached where he was standing and watched him running his hand up and down the latch which secured the gate to the stone wall. The alarms in my mind were roaring that this was wrong. The gate, which was at least one hundred years old, opened easily, no rust build up or frozen pieces.

Alec pulled it open, causing my red flag to flap in earnest as there was no creaking or moaning with the movement. Taking one last look around, I followed Alec down a set of stairs as the wolf howled one more time.

The steps were made of sandstone, I could feel it under my shoes. I switched on my flashlight, not wanting to slip from the loose sand and fall into Alec. The light revealed a narrow passageway, only wide enough for a single person to walk and steps the turned in a spiral on their descent. Twenty steps down, the staircase opened into a large room.

Alec pulled a lighter out, clicking it twice as he lit a torch on the wall. Several torches later, more of the room had been revealed. We stood in the center of the room, the ceiling so tall I couldn't see the color. Arches crossed strategically across the room, framing the walls in an intricate pattern. It was dusty and absent of any furnishings, not that I really expected to find any. If this was Edward Cullen's castle, I doubted anything would have survived after all this time.

I watched Alec as he scanned every wall, desperately looking for the painting of Isabella. A part of me wanted to remind him of how time and moisture were never friends of canvas and oil. But this was his time, he'd waited for this moment for years.

He continued to the end of the room where he discovered a wooden door so big it nearly touched the ceilings that I still couldn't see clearly. As he opened the door, the sound of metal on metal creaking filled the room and in the blink of an eye he disappeared.

I decided it was time for that talk, the one I had on a continuous loop in my head. I scurried across the massive room and toward the still slightly ajar door. Reaching out to pull the door open a little wider, I felt something cold brush my right shoulder. Turning with a gasp, I found nothing except illuminated torches.

Alec was standing in the center of the next room, a single torch in his right hand that was raised to cast light on a far wall. I approached as cautiously as I could, my eyes locked on the empty fireplace large enough for a grown man to stand inside. The mantle above, which became clearer as I closed the distance, had dust and cobwebbed covered candelabras resting on each side of the massive stone mantle. Gargoyles kept watch at the ends of each side. Illuminated by his light was the beginning of a frame, causing me to quicken my steps. Even with all the dust and dirt, you could tell it was made from gold.

Slowly and with wide eyes and open mouth, I followed the edges of the frame from the top of the mantle to the flowing dress of the exquisite woman in the portrait.

"I fucking told you!" Alec exclaimed as he tossed his backpack to the floor. He retrieved several items and then marched over to the mantle. "She never got to see the final product," he spoke as he tugged at the massive frame. "Edward wanted to surprise her, show her he wasn't in the picture." His words difficult to hear as the frame come off the wall with a thud, dislodging the canvas from the gold that protected it.

"He paid Sir Huntington more than thirty thousand US dollars for this." His hands were covered in white gloves as he handled the delicate canvas. My curiosity was getting the better of me and I needed to see the face of Isabella Cigno. Using the beam from my flashlight, I hurriedly looked for her face before Alec could completely remove her from the frame.

Her pale cream dress was tight to her waist with the help of a corset. Her bodice came to a point just over her pelvis with the skirt of the dress wide from the layers and layers of petticoats underneath. Ample mounds of her breasts set in perfect display at the top of her plunging neckline. Her shoulders were so slender her collarbone was very prominent. Her sleeves dangled off to the sides, made mostly of wide lace and pearls.

I nearly dropped my flashlight as I took in her face for the first time. An audible gasp left my throat without my consent.

"Remarkable, isn't it?" Alec called from his spot on the dirty floor.

It was as if I were looking into a mirror, the resemblance uncanny.

"All this moisture and time, yet she is still perfect." His voice was giddy and proud.

I started to back away, needing to wrap my mind around what I had just seen. I needed to get some air into my lungs. As I turn to flee, I felt cold air on my lower back.

"Alec, you can't be serious about stealing this?"

He didn't stop to argue with me as he pulled the canvas free from the frame, Isabella's kind face falling to the floor in a heap.

"I can't be a part of this!" I shout and turn in the direction of the wooden door. "This is over for me, you and me are done, this...this crazy idea of yours. It's..." Before I can finish telling him off, the torch goes out and Alec lets out a guttural cry. My flashlight is jarred from my hand and is rolling around on the floor, clanking several times before it dies leaving the room in complete darkness.

"Bella, run!" Alec cried, the tenor of his voice revealing that he is suddenly as scared as I am.

The wooden door was stuck, or locked, I couldn't tell the difference in the dark. I heard the sound of something breaking behind me as I finally push open the door and begin running toward the staircase. This room is even darker than the last and I can't find the steps. I also couldn't hear Alec anymore either.

The legend had to be true as I could feel something, or someone, in the room. With my back to the stone wall, I felt around for an opening. The sounds of the wooden door opening once again causing me to hold my breath as I feel the tears flowing from the terror in my chest. Closing my eyes, I felt cold air seeping from the wall behind me. After fumbling around, I finally felt a slight opening and pushed my way through, praying it's another way out.

Whatever is in the room is moving closer to me, silently following me in the dark. Just as I'm about to take a step back into the unknown door, a warm hand reaches out for me, grasping my hand tight. I know it's Alec and I breathe a little easier.

He's shaking and I can't blame him. I pull him in the direction of the cold air, turn and began hurrying into the dark room.

My momentum is too much and combined with the adrenalin flowing through my veins, I rush into the dark, finding instead of another room, a cliff edge. By the time my brain kicks in, it's too late, my footing is fleeting, slipping on the loose sand, and dropping me over the edge.

My flight or fight instincts kick in and my hands reach out to grasp the jagged edge of the cliff.

"Alec!" I screamed, praying he would pull me back onto the ledge.

My feet were dangling, hitting the smooths side of the cliff, there is nothing for me to get a foothold on and my hands are slipping with the moisture on the rocks.

"Hold on, Baby," Alec's face appears over the edge. Tears of joy flow out of my eyes as his hand reaches out and grasps one of mine as I lose my grip completely. I can barely see his eyes, yet recognize a darkness and malevolence which has taken up residence in his features.

"Don't let me fall." I beg, looking over my shoulder into complete darkness.

"I'm trying, Bella, but your hand is slipping." His teeth are clenched with his exertion. I chanced another look in his eyes just as his face goes blank.

"Did you really just break up with me in there?" He motioned over his shoulder, the evil now covering his face as well. Before I can answer, his grip loosens and I utter a scream as he lets go of my hand.

Wind rushes past me, cold and biting. The darkness is vast and I barely have time to scream as I join it.

Year after year since I entered into this life I live, they come. I'm not a fool, I've heard the stories, listened to the legends and laugh at every one. My life, existence, isn't so mysterious. All I ever wanted was a family and a home. Those dreams were destroyed in a sea of flames.

Traveling from port to port, city to city, I never expected to meet the woman I wanted to be mine. But I did. My beautiful Isabella. She was the light in my life and I couldn't wait until we were joined. When I commissioned Sir Huntington to give me my portrait, I had no idea what I would receive. I knew what I requested, but the outcome was far different.

My journey home began like any other that is until Sophia was discovered. The woman lacked all sense of propriety and had no heart. She was selfish and jealous of the love her sister and I had found. When I refused her, I had no idea what her plans were until it was too late. The flames took my ship and would have taken my life, but for the surprise visitor that jumped aboard from seemingly nowhere.

My life was spared that night, but my torture had only begun. The life that remained for me was that of a monster. I had watched my precious Isabella throw herself from the cliff upon receiving the news of my demise, and was powerless to stop her fall.

"You cannot go to her. You aren't ready." My maker pleaded.

"She'll die!" I roared and fought against the arms that held me in place.

"That can't be helped now. Stop fighting me, Cullen!"

My struggles ceased as I watched my love perish. That's when it hit me. The scent of her blood as it streamed from her body was almost my undoing. If not for the viselike grip my creator had on me, I would have defiled her body just to sate my thirst.

Now, the castle I built by the cliffs, the castle I built for us, is my prison.

The first time I saw her, it felt like I had been hit by a battering ram. It simply wasn't possible. What was my Isabella doing here? I had watched her die, hadn't I? I began to watch her. Finally, I realized that she wasn't _my_ Isabella, but her look alike. She must have been a descendant of the De Cigno family.

After watching her for several months, I began to leave her little things. Romantic gestures...at least in my mind. Her cad of a boyfriend, however, left me feeling cold. Colder than normal. After his first attempt to gain access into my home, I began watching him as well. He was a very shady fellow. I could tell that he was only interested in obtaining items that would make him money. My Isabella's portrait was priceless and also a thing of legend. The finder would become notorious I had no doubt.

When Halloween night rolled around for another year, I knew that another attempt would be made. I watched as he climbed the rocks, not bothering to help her. I watched as he entered my house and began walking through my possessions. However, once she walked past me, I thought of nothing but her. Her smell, the heat coming from her body, the way her hair moved about her shoulders...everything about her.

When they entered the room that contained the portrait, I was right there with them.

"I fucking told you!"

Her idiot companion was triumphant in his discovery.

"She never got to see the final product," he spoke as he tugged at the massive frame. "Edward wanted to surprise her, show her he wasn't in the picture."

I watched as the boy nearly dropped the framed portrait to the floor. The only thing saving it from breaking was that the frame was made of gold.

"He paid Sir Huntington more than thirty thousand US dollars for this."

I had paid more than that...I had paid with my life.

My eyes never left the girl. I heard her gasp the moment that she saw the face forever placed on that canvas. I knew that she saw the resemblance, heard the change in her heart rate.

"Remarkable, isn't it?"

I turned back to the boy, who was still admiring my Isabella, yet ignoring the distress coming from his.

"All this moisture and time, yet she is still perfect." His voice was giddy and proud.

I watched her start to back away, ready to flee. I was so absorbed watching her, that I didn't move and I knew by her sudden shiver that she felt my presence.

"Alec, you can't be serious about stealing this?"

It was in that moment that I knew she was pure of heart, just like my Isabella had been. I also knew that her boyfriend was a fiend and would most definitely be taking my painting. When he took such care removing it from the frame, he sealed his fate. When he turned to look at her, the evil in his eyes strengthened my resolve. He would die on this night.

"I can't be a part of this! This is over for me, you and me are done, this...this crazy idea of yours. It's..."

I extinguished the torch in the room, setting my plan in motion. I never meant for the next events to happen and would deal with the regret they caused for all eternity.

"Bella, run!" The boy shouted.

I was shocked to learn that this beautiful woman also held the same moniker as my long dead love. Regaining myself, I gave chase, not letting him forget that he was in fact stealing from a monster...a ghost of so many years past. He was on my turf now. I just hadn't realized that Bella was leading them toward the cliffs. At least not until it was too late.

Her plea for help reached my ears a moment too late. She went over the side, her hands clawing at the unstable ground. I stood back, wanting to see the evil in him for myself, as he reached out and grasped her hand.

"Don't let me fall!"

"I'm trying, Bella, but your hand is slipping."

I could see he wasn't exerting all of his strength. He was prepared to let her die for his cause.

"Did you really just break up with me in there?"

In that moment, he let her go and her scream echoed up from the ravine. I was on him in an instant.

"You fool! How dare you!?" I clutched at him. His eyes grew wide with fear.

"Y...you're him. Please, let me go."

"I would no sooner let the devil himself go. You will pay for your part in her death."

"No...please! I couldn't hold her!"

"Too late boy!" With those words, I sank my teeth into his jugular, tasting the first human blood I had in years. As it pooled in my throat, I wanted to enjoy it. I craved the texture along my tongue. But I had a more pressing matter to attend to. After ripping his neck apart, I left him to bleed to death and jumped from the edge to the woman below.

When I reached her crumpled body, I knew that I didn't have much time. Her heart rate was slow...too slow and her breathing was thready. She was dying.

As gently as possible, I picked her up into my arms and leapt out of the ravine. I ran with her into my home and to my bedroom. I gingerly placed her on my bed, cringing at her moan of pain.

"Can you hear me?" I spoke softly.

"H..he..lp...me," she moaned.

"Open your eyes, love. Please..." I needed to see her eyes, I needed to know.

I watched as she slowly blinked open her eyes. Her beautiful brown orbs were ravaged with pain. I knew that I could help her, but I wanted the choice to be hers.

"Look at me. I can take your pain away, but I need you to hear me." I waited until she was looking directly at me.

"Yo...u're hi..m."

"Yes, I am Edward Cullen and this is my house. Listen to me, Bella. I can make you like me or I can let you die. The choice is yours."

"Wh...what a..re y..ou?"

"I'm a vampire, Bella. I can make you like me, letting you remain in this world, albeit differently than before."

"I w..oul..d d..ie?"

"You're going to anyway, love. Nothing can stop that now." I paused for a moment before continuing. "You would spend eternity at my side. I can make you happy, Bella."

I watched the decision flicker across her features and waited. She painfully closed her eyes and then opened them to meet mine.

"Do it," she whispered.

Without hesitation, I leaned over her and pressed my cold lips to her still warm ones. Then, I moved to her neck and sank my teeth into her supple flesh.


End file.
